Hawk on 10 October 1996 to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch. On 10 November 1998 the squadron deployed to the Persian Gulf aboard in support of Operation Desert Fox. 2000s Following the September 11 attacks, the squadron led the first missions of Operation Enduring Freedom on October 7, 2001. In the months that followed, VFA-94 and Air Wing Eleven participated in precision strikes against key Taliban locations in Afghanistan. The squadron amassed 664 combat sorties and expended 550,000 pounds of ordnance on targets in Afghanistan. The squadron returned home on 19 January 2002. The squadron deployed again on 3 March 2003 for an eight-month combat deployment aboard with CVW-11 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. On 7 May 2005, the squadron again deployed aboard USS Nimitz to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In October 2006, the squadron successfully completed the Strike Fighter Advanced Readiness Program, in preparation for the squadron's transition to an expeditionary role. In January 2007, VFA-94 joined its sister squadron VFA-97 as one of only two F/A-18 squadrons to deploy overseas as part of the Unit Deployment Program (UDP). VFA-94 departed NAS Lemoore on its first expeditionary evolution to MCAS Iwakuni, Japan. The squadron traversed nearly of open ocean, totaling almost 18 flight hours per jet. During the deployment, VFA-94 participated in Exercise Foal Eagle, the first ever U.S. Navy expeditionary deployment to Korea and Exercise Cobra Gold in Thailand. In July 2008, VFA-94 completed its second UDP deployment to Japan in support of the Global War on Terror and Pacific Operations. The squadron participated in Exercises Talon Vision at Clark Air Base, Philippines; Wolmi-Do Fury at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa and Exercise Lava Viper at Hickam AFB, Hawaii. The squadron returned home in February 2009 after completing this successful 7-month deployment. The squadron has been awarded two Joint Meritorious Unit Awards, five Navy Unit Commendations, five Meritorious Unit Commendations, five Battle Efficiency Awards, two Navy Expeditionary Medals, three Armed Forces Expeditionary Medals, and Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. 2010s In January 2012, after returning from UDP duties in Japan, the squadron returned to NAS Lemoore, but apparently was not assigned to one of the West Coast air wings until around August 2012, as it temporarily took sister squadron VFA-25's place within CVW-17. VFA-25 was returned to its former slot